RUFC - Hursty v Willliams

In our book we make it that stalwart, Paul Hurst, has only three games to go to beat the record number of Millers appearances of Danny Williams.

Danny Williams was born in Maltby, Rotherham in 1924 and, like Paul Hurst the only club he ever played for was Rotherham United, but that is where the similarities between the two end.

Danny started work at Silverwood Colliery aged fourteen and played football for the Colliery team and also for a Wolves nursery side. At seventeen he trained with Sheffield United but, as he had to walk from Sheffield back to Dalton, where the family lived, he decided to look for another club. Arsenal and Leicester City wanted him but as he needed to live at home to contribute towards the budget of a large family he turned them down. In 1943 he was offered trials with Rotherham and he played twice for the Reserve team and nine times for the First team as an inside forward, before being given a professional contract. Danny`s career spanned fifteen years (1946-1960) and he was known for his stamina - every day before training he would run three times round the pitch increasing his speed each time, and still have the stamina to tell a few jokes when he`d finished. In 1952 Danny was picked to play for Wales but manager Reg Freeman felt he had to tell the selectors that he couldn`t play because he wasn`t born there. In 1962 he became manager of the Millers and he was known for fielding attacking teams with wingers and his team was made up of mostly youthful forwards and full backs which he imagined would be good enough to take his team into the top flight. But, in 1965 he resigned as manager when his young players were sold against his will. He went on to manage Swindon Town, taking them to a Wembley win in the League Cup final and also had stints at Sheffield Wednesday, Mansfield Town and back at Swindon again before finally retiring. Danny surely earned his name of 'Lion of Millmoor.`

Danny's Stats
1946-1960
459 League appearances
31 FA Cup appearances
(obviously no subs in those days)

Total = 490

Hursty was born in Sheffield in 1974 and joined Rotherham as a schoolboy and, although has played most of his games for the Millers at left-back he can also play in midfield. He signed professional terms in 1993 and made his first team debut in the Autoglass Trophy against Huddersfield Town at Millmoor on 9 November 1993. His greatest achievement with the Millers, so far, is winning the Auto Windscreens Shield in 1996 at Wembley.

Hursty's
1993-
League apps 380+51 subs
FA Cup apps 23+2 subs
League Cup apps 11+3 subs
Trophy apps 15+1
Play off semi final apps 2

Total = 431 + 57 subs
= 488

So, when will Hursty make his record breaking appearance? We don't really know, but wouldn't it be ironic if it was against Swindon Town in the FA Cup?

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